That’s really disappointing, he makes Moto GP worth watching simply for the way he manhandles a bike. I wonder if we might see him on 4 wheels some time soon, I seem to remember him testing a V8 Supercar a few years ago. Huge loss to Moto GP though.

@David-A He’s a father and a double world champion. He might even take a third this year. He’s probably achieved everything he ever wanted to in racing and has enough money to retire and spend the rest of his life with his family, so that’s probably what he’s going to do.

@fer-no65 It depends on who replaces Stoner. If Honda can get the rookie rule scrapped, Marc Marquez will take it. But if Dorna can get their way, we may well see Honda reuniting with Valentino Rossi. Neither will be an easy rival for Pedrosa.

I’ll be sad to see him go, as @the_pretender says, he has a brilliant riding style, he’s a bit like the Hamilton of motoGP (great on track, not so great in a press conference). He has been struggling with health problems so it’s not that big of a shock, I guess Simoncelli’s death last year and his new baby made him rethink his career too.

That’s a real pity. Stoner undoubtedly is a great talent, he could achieve much more in the future if he stays.
However, I realise MotoGP isn’t a sport for “old” like F1 is, and it’s also much more dangerous. Better quit while still physically fine rather than risking your life every weekend, particularly if you have no longer the passion.
To be honest I don’t know how someone so young can lose the passion for what he’s been doing all life, right when he reached the pinnacle of the two-wheels motorsport and when he was achieving such great success.
This however looks like a mature decision by a husband and a father. After all, Gilles Villeneuve was the same but he was stripped of his future life in his family by being in Formula 1. Stoner probably realised his family is more important than racing and that the risk was too high to take, and I admire him for that.

Stoner probably realised his family is more important than racing and that the risk was too high to take, and I admire him for that.

Apparently it didn’t have a huge baring;
“Also the birth of my little girl had nothing to do with this. It had a small part in making the decision easier but by no means is it the reason why I made this decision.”
>http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99659

It really seems as if he’s just unhappy with the direction MotoGP is taking – closer to Superbikes.
Will be a big loss for MotoGP.